The Farr Side: Amy Grant is a gift

Thursday

Sep 27, 2012 at 1:05 PMSep 27, 2012 at 1:05 PM

By David T. Farr

GateHouse News ServiceWhether you discovered Amy?Grant’s music from the beginning or found her somewhere down the road of her 30-plus years in the music business, you know one thing to be true: She’s a gift.

Amy Grant has graced the stages of churches, auditoriums, concert halls, and arenas all across the country, but last week she brought her live show to Amish country, performing for the first time at the Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana, Ind.

I had been fortunate to see her perform three other times, but never so close to Sturgis. I was thrilled with the opportunity, which coincided with my niece’s 14th birthday and my 40th birthday. What a way to celebrate. It also marked the first time my mom got to see her live.

We were able to partake in a special sound check before the show. Having met her before, I thought it would be cool to see her in that light. She’s always so personable and about as real as one can be — not always the case with stars. She’s the same person on and off the stage. I love that about her.

It was obvious that she was dealing with a cold, but that didn’t stop her from going on with the show. Watching her and the band prepare for the evening was awesome.

I was happy to see the show was a sellout and that there were so many local faces in the crowd. I even bumped into my high school geometry teacher. It was nice to see you again, Mrs. Roe, and to meet your granddaughter, too.

Amy took the stage after Red Roots warmed up the audience with a countrified set of Christian songs done up Dixie Chicks style.

Grant was well-received by the Shipshe audience, which included fans that traveled from as far away as Ohio and Chicago.

Her repertoire is so extensive that seeing her live is like witnessing a two-hour greatest hits show.

She performed many of the hits that made her a Christian music cross-over success to mainstream artist, including “Baby Baby,” “Good For Me,” “Saved By Love,” “Every Heartbeat,” “I Will Be Your Friend,” “My Father’s Eyes,” “It Takes A Little Time,” and “Big Yellow Taxi” to name a few, as well as several tracks from her most-recent album, “Somewhere Down The Road,” including the songs’ “Hard Times,” “Arms Of Love,” “Unafraid,” and “Better Than a Hallelujah.”

I find it heartwarming to open the cover of “Somewhere Down The Road” and read that the album is a “collection of songs about the journey of life; the roads we take, the lessons we learned, the mysteries we’ll never understand ... and that the right song at the right time can be a lifesaver.”

Well said, Amy. For me, it’s your song “It Takes A Little Time.” The song holds a special meaning in my heart as it came along at a point in my life when I needed it most. I must have heard those words of hope and encouragement a million times since then, but hearing them again brought a renewed strength back to me. Thank you!

Despite having a cold, as she told the audience, she still put on a great show — occasionally stopping to wipe her nose. “OK, the decongestant just wore off,” she said, laughing.

I told you she is about as real as it gets.

David T. Farr is a Sturgis, Mich., Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com. You can also find The Farr Side on Facebook.